Jet steam iron



Jan. 19, 1965 P. E. wlLLMAN JET STEAM IRON 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 14, 1962 N. y @im M T mm m yN V A N @www W m..@ f f u f l i B NM. N. km. wm.: l ww wm .M Q .av u I- m.. um mW NN Jan. 19, 1965 P. E. wlLLMAN 3,165,843

JET STEAM IRON Filed-May 14, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 il@ E "4 L; INVENTOR. Pff/UP E. Z//MLM/v/v BY @dal @am $0/ 3 rfaRA/Ef Jan. 19, 1965 P. E. wlLLMAN 3,165,843

JET STEAM IRON l VFiled May 14, 1962 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 @TMm/5y INVENTOR. PH/L/P E'. ZLLMW 5 United States Patent O 3,165,843 EET STEAM IRGN Philip E. Wiilman, St. Charles, lll., assigner to McGraw- Edison Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Delaware Filed May 14, 1962, Ser. No. 194,226 4 Claims. (Cl. 33-77) This invention relates to steam irons and more particularly to means for controlling the delivery of water from the reservoir to the steam generating chamber of a steam iron.

The value of moisture for softening the fibers of fabrics and aiding in the removal of wrinkles when ironing has long been known. The domestic steam iron has achieved acceptance and widespread usage because it offers a convenient method of applying moisture to fabrics, speeding the ironing process and, in the case of most fabrics, eliminating the necessity of sprinkling or pre-m'oistening.

However, the amount of moisture has a considerable bearing upon the speed and ease with which freshly laundered fabrics can be ironed. 1f moisture content is too high, it requires longer ironing to dry off this excess water and achieve a state of dryness which, in storage, will prevent the formation of new wrinkles with a possible growth of mildew. Too little moisture, on the other hand, does not adequately soften the fibers and makes removal of wrinkles more diicult. This also results in longer ironing time.

lt follows then that the ideal steam iron operating most eiiiciently to remove wrinkles and smooth the fabric, with least effort and in the shortest possible time, will supply moisture in a manner directly related to the condition and character of the fabric being ironed. Single thickness of relatively unwrinkled material will receive but a small amount of moisture. Multiple layers of cloth, such as is found in collars and cuffs, and heavier materials, will receive more moisture applied preferably in such a manner as to penetrate the thickness or all the layers.

The popularity of the domestic steam iron attests to the fact that it is a denite improvement Iover the conven-' tional dry iron. However, it is well recognized that most steam irons presently found on the market have certain limitations that cause them to be less than completely satisfactory. The controls of these steam irons are marked in such a way as to indicate a rather narrow zone of temperature at which the stern is to be used. The setti-ng generally indicated as that proper for steam ironing is a zone in the range of 300 F. to 400 F. and designates the area at which steam is most usefully and efficiently generated in the applicance. It represents a compromise between what the user would like to have in the way of steam generation in a steam iron and what the designer of the iron has found practical and most nearly trouble free.

The narrow temperature range recommended for steam ironing noted above, is used in most irons because water is dripped into the steam chamber at a uniform rate regardless of the temperature setting of the iron, and in this narrow zone the volume of water being dripped into the steam chamber matches the heat 'output of the element to such a degree as to enable all the incoming water to be readily converted to steam. Below this steam range, the volume of water is either not converted into steam or at such a slow rate as to cause flooding of the steam passages while above, the temperature of the boiler is such that, while all the incoming water can be instantly converted into steam, it becomes super-heated to such a degree as to be dry and of little value in ironing out wrinkles.

Water vapor or steam can be produced eiciently over lhli Patented `lain. 19, 1965 ice i a wide range. Even at relatively low temperatures between F. and 212 F. water dropped at a slow rate upon the heated surfaces of the steam chamber will be changed into water vapor quite rapidly even though it does not -actually boil, and in the higher temperature ranges water dropping faster, and consequently in greaterV volume, cools the heating surfaces rapidly so that steam is not super-heated and is therefore more useful for steam ironing.

Variable metering of the water input to correspond to the temperature of the iron is incorporated in the design of the steam iron of this invention to add flexibility of use. However, it is recognized that the concept of the variable steam generating rate is to be found in the priorV art where a number of inventors have recognized the deciency in operating steam irons at a single steam generating rate. Most of these approaches to a solution have been based upon the regulation of a needle valve opening so that the rate and thereby the volume of water which is dripped into the steam chamber can be increased or decreased to correspond to the steam generating capacity at various temperature settings of the thermostat.

The most unique feature of the present invention is that steam can also be produced instantly in 4a deeply penetrating jet. This is accomplished by momentarily and forcefully injecting relatively large amounts of water into a special steam generating boiler of large area. It has been determined that if a certain volume of water, for example 1.2 cubic centimeters or approximately twentyfive drops, which is six or seven times the usual drip rate per second, is rapidly and forcefully injected into the steam chamber of an iron withY a heated evaporative surface of large area, the conversion of all the water from liquid to vapor is almost instantaneous over almost the full temperature range of the iron. Expansion causes this vapor to be expelled through the steam ports with pressure in direct proportion to the temperature of the heated surfaces.

Experiments have shown that steam applied in this manner Will penetrate and'thoroughly moisten four to six layers of cloth and will materially reduce the time and effort needed to iron garments incorporating such multiple thicknesses of cloth. Heavy, closely woven` It is an object of this invention to provide a steam iron that can supply jets of steam 'of short duration having high penetration.

It is a further object of this invention to provide steam jets to penetrate heavy materials or deeply wrinkled areas utilizing the expansion caused by steam generation to effect forceful delivery.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an improved steam iron which has a variable steam delivery to match varying temperature and pressing requirements.

These and other novel features of the steam iron of this invention will be further understood by reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation, partially in section, of a steam iron embodying the control device of this invention; t

FIG. 2 shows an enlarged section of the control device of this invention partially broken away and in an oper ating condition for regular steam ironing;

areasas FIG.- 3 is a side elevation ofthe valve stern, partially broken away, and rotated 90 from the position illustrated in FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a side elevation of the steam control button rotated 45 from the position shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the steam control button; and

FIG. 6 is an enlarged partial section, partially broken away, of the control mechanism of this invention with the push button in its fully depressed position.

Referring to FIG. 1, a steam iron is illustrated having a pump cylinder Il located in the bottom of the reservoir 12 in such a manner that a fluid flow communication may be effected through the passage 13 interconnecting the pump cylinder and the boiler cavity or steam generating chamber 15. The steam generating chamber 15 has a stepped conguration and a large surface area to effect rapid steam generation over a wide range of water delivery'rates. The lower terminal portion 17 of the pump Cylinder 11 has a downwardly tapering exterior surface 18 (FIG. 2) that mates with a correspondingly tapered opening I9 through the wall of the boiler cover plate 21 with a suitable sealing compound being used therebetween to form a water-tight connection. The steam generating chamber 15 is formed in the cast aluminum sole plate 23 as an integral part thereof with the boiler cover 21 so attached to the top of the sole plate 23 as to form a water-tight seal therebetween. The sole plate 23 is heated by cast in tubular heating elements 25 controlled by a thermostat (not shown) and regulated by means of the thermostat control knob 26. Steam generated in the steam chamber is conducted through steam delivery channels 23 to the external discharge ports or openings 29 in the lower face 3% of the sole plate 23.

Located partially within the pump cylinder 11 is a valve steam 32 which is attached to the pump piston 33. Packing .54 on the pump piston elfects a seal between the pump piston 33 and the wall of the pump cylinder il during periods when the piston is within the cylinder.V A pump shaft 36 is secured to the pump piston 33 by a partially `spherical end portion 37.

The pump shaft 36 passes through an opening 3S in the upper part of the handle 39 and through a suitable gasket 40 and washer 41. At its upward ends, pump shaft 36 is threaded into a push button 43 toa depth determined by the position of the locking set screw 44 which is inf serted through and adjustable from the top of the push button. The pump shaft 36 is urged upward by a compression spring 45, which-at one end bears against the Washer 41, which is supported by the lower surface 46 of the well `in the handle 39 of the iron, and at its opposite end exerts a force against the lower surface 47 of the push button. The push button 43 is in turn limited in its upward movement by the abutment of' its annularly extending portion 48 against the confronting surface of the control knob 56.

The control knob 50 is restrained. against upward and downward movement by a pin S1 which passes through and is secured to the handle 39 and has one distal end extending into and engaging the surface of the slot 53 formed in the control button. The slot 53, better seen in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, is in the form of a portion of a spiral and cooperates with the pin 51 to move the control button through, a controlled vertical adjustment when the control knob Si) is rotated about its vertical axis. As shown in FIG. 1, the control knob 50 is rotated to its position of maximum upward adjustment, In this position of adjustment the contr-o1 rod piston and valve stem are urged upwards by the action of the spring to cause the s ealing surface 55 of the valve stern 32 to close the lower opening of the pump cylinder 11 which communicates with the steam generating chamber 15 and terminates uid communication between the reservoir 12 and the steam generating chamber. Accordingly, the control knob in the maximum upward position shown in FIG. 1 is adjusted for dry ironing.

As the control button is rotated to its other position of maximum adjustment the sealing surface SS of the valve stem is unseated from the lower opening of the pump cylinder `and moves incrementally downward, creating a gradually increasing rate of water delivery from the reservoir 12 to the steam generating chamber I5. FIG. 2 shows the control knob Si) turned to its maximum downward position wherein the maximum tlow rate for regular steam ironing is established. It is possible to set the control knob 59 to afford any rate of flow intermediate the interrupted or olf position shownin FIG. l and the maximum flow rate illustrated by the position in the control button in FIG. 2. In the actual application of this control, in order to simplify operation, a series of numbered intermediate flow rates are indicated on the upper surface 55 of the control knob Sil which are aligned with a marking on the handle 39 and such settings correspond to appropriate temperature settings of the thermostat control knob 26.

The valve stem 32 is shown in greater detail in FIG. 3. Intermediate the upper stem portion 58 and the sealing surface 55 is a cyclindrical stem portion 59 only sufficiently smaller in diameter than the cylindrical surface 6i) of the pump cylinder lower portion 17 to allow a readily slidable relation to exist between the two conyfronting surfaces. A slanted surface 62 is milled on opposite sides of the intermediate cylindrical portion 59 of the valve stem and it is the opening afforded by this reduction in the section of the valve stern, that is between the valve stem milled surface 62 and the surface 6l) of the lower pump cylinder, which regulatesV the amount of Water that ows to the steam generating chamber 15 under normal operation as a drip type steam iron. The valve stem 32 also serves as a guide to aid in concentrically positioning the piston 33 within the pump cylinder 11 when the piston is moved downwardly by depressing the push button 43.

When the push button 43 is depressed downward against the force of the biasing spring the pumpV shaft 36 forces the piston 33 to move downwardly within the pump cylinder 1l toward the positon of maximum downward extension shown in FIG. 6. It will be noted that, when the control knob 5? is in its maximum upwardly extending position or the dry position, upon release of the push button the spring 45 will restore the push button,

control knob, piston and valve stem to the position shown in FIG. 1 thus interrupting fluid communication between the reservoir and the steam chamber causing any steam generated to be ventedvthrough the steam conduit channels 2-8 to the openings 29 in the lower face of the sole plate 23. Opening 64 and passage 65 are provided in the handle to afford means for filling the reservoir 12.

For regular steam ironing, control knob 5t) is turned to a position to establish a suitable water delivery rate corresponding to the ironing temperature selected. Thus operating through the camming action established by the surface of the slot 53 in the skirt of the control knob the metering valve stem below the pump shaft is caused to move downwardly, unseating the sealing surface SS and permitting water to drip into the steam chamber at a rate which will allow all of the water so delivered to be vaporized. The steam generated passes out the ports in the bottom of the sole plate in the usual manner. To terminate the flow of water, the steam control knob 56 is turned to return it to its maximum upward extension or dry position.

When in the course of ironing a heavily wrinkled area of fabric is encountered, a quick downward pressure on the push button 43 will cause the pump shaft to force the piston to enter the pump cylinder 11 and drive the water thereby confined in the pump cylinder 11 through the annular clearance between the upper valve stem portion 58 and the surface 60 and into the steam generating chamber 15 as the valve stem is moved downward. This water is expelled downwardly from the pump cylinder and forcefully impinges against the sealing surface 55 of thc valve stem 32 and is thereby deflected over a large area of the boiler surface. This dispersion is assisted by the simultaneous downward movement of the truste-conical surface 55 of the valve stem 32 as the piston 33 moves through its downward stroke.

Vaporization is almost instantaneous and since, when the dry ironing setting is used, the valve is closed by the pring immediately after the Water is injected, there is no back pressure into the piston or tank and the steam is expelled with considerable force outwardly through the ports in the sole plate. This stream of moisture, condensin fabrics, penetrates even heavy materials such as thick cotton and linen and arrords a convenient method of steaming velvet, felt and suede. Upon release of the push button 43 the piston 33 immediately returns to its upwardly raised position whereupon water again fills the pump cylinder.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown it is intended not to limit the invention to the particular form disclosed, but to include the various modifications within the scope of the invention commensurate with the appended claims.

What is claims is:

l. ln an electric steam iron having a sole plate with a steam generating chamber associated therewith, a water reservoir mounted above said sole plate, openings in the lower face of said sole plate and steam delivery channels in said sole plate for delivering steam formed in said generating chamber to said openings, a water delivery mechanism comprising: a pump cylinder having a irst opening normally in communication with said reservoir and a second openi:O interconnecting said cylinder with said chamber; closure means normally restricting iiow through said second opening; a piston mounted coaxially with respect to said cylinder; actuating means for moving said piston in one direction within said ycylinder to interrapt duid communication through said first opening and to move said closure means to a non-restricting position to eXp-el a quantity of water into said chamber, and control means operatively connected to said closure means for selective adjustment between a position wherein ow through said second opening is totally interrupted and a plurality of positions corresponding to varying rates of fluid communication through said second openinv.

2. ln a steam iron having a sole plate, a steam generating chamber associated with said sole plate, openings in the lower face of said sole plate interconnected with said chamber by steam delivery channels and a reservoir 50 mounted above said sole plate, a water delivery mecha nism comprising: a pump cylinder having first and second openings therein communicating respectively with said reservoir and said chamber; restriction means restricting the ilow of water through said second opening; control means associated with said restricting means having one position wherein said restricting means interrupts fluid tiow through said second opening and a plurality of other positions wherein said restricting means etects varying rates of restricted luid now through said second opening; a piston operatively associated with said cylinder; and manually operable means eiiective upon actuation thereof to disable said restricting means, move said piston downwardly within said chamber and expel a quantity of water from said cylinder into said chamber.

3. The steam iron ofrclaim 2 wherein upon release of said manually operable means said restricting means is automatically returned to its restricting position.

4. ln an electric steam iron having a sole plate with a steam generating chamber, a water reservoir mounted above said sole plate, openings in the lower face of said sole plate and steam delivery channels in said sole plate for delivering steam formed in said generating chamber to said openings, a water delivery mechanism comprising: a pump ycylinder having an opening at the upper axial end in water receiving communication with said reservoir and an opening at the lower axial end communicating with said chamber; a piston-closure assembly having a piston normally disposed in axial alignment above said upper cylinder opening and a closure mechanism normally disposed in duid dow restricting association with said lower cylinder opening, with a portion of said closure mechanism rigidly connected to said piston; control means for selectively moving said closure mechanism between an upward position of interrupted flow and aV downward posi- Y tion of restricted dow; a manual actuating mechanism actuable to move said assembly axially downward to remove said closure mechanism from restrictive association with said second opening and cause said piston to displace a quantity of water from said cylinder to said chamber and an automatic return means for restoring said actuating mechanism to its non-actuated position and said assembly to said ow restricting association.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,483,579 Green Oct. V4, 1949 2,887,809 VKistner May 26, 1,959 2,963,803 Willman Dec.-13, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 558,435 Belgium June 29, 1957 

1. IN AN ELECTRIC STEAM IRON HAVING A SOLE PLATE WITH A STEAM GENERATING CHAMBER ASSOCIATED THEREWITH, A WATER RESERVOIR MOUNTED ABOVE SAID SOLE PLATE, OPENINGS IN THE LOWER FACE OF SAID SOLE PLATE AND STEAM DELIVERY CHANNELS IN SAID SOLE PLATE FOR DELIVERING STEAM FORMED IN SAID GENERATING CHAMBER TO SAID OPENINGS, A WATER DELIVERY MECHANISM COMPRISING: A PUMP CLYINDER HAVING A FIRST OPENING NORMALLY IN COMMUNICATION WITH SAID RESERVOIR AND A SECOND OPENING INTERCONNECTING SAID CYLINDER WITH SAID CHAMBER; CLOSURE MEANS NORMALLY RESTRICTING FLOW THROUGH SAID SECOND OPENING; A PISTON MOUNTED COAXIALLY WITH RESPECT TO SAID CYLINDER; ACTUATING MEANS FOR MOVING SAID PISTON IN ONE DIRECTION WITHIN SAID CYLINDER TO INTERRUPT FLUID COMMUNICATION THROUGH SAID FIRST OPENING AND TO MOVE SAID CLOSURE MEANS TO A NON-RESTRICTING POSITION TO EXPEL A QUANTITY OF WATER INTO SAID CHAMBER, AND CONTROL MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO SAID CLOSURE MEANS FOR SELECTIVE ADJUSTMENT BETWEEN A POSITION WHEREIN FLOW THROUGH SAID SECOND OPENING IS TOTALLY INTERRUPTED AND A PLURALITY OF POSITIONS CORRESPONDING TO VARYING RATES OF FLUID COMMUNICATION THROUGH SAID SECOND OPENING. 